Reign and Monsters Collide in Game 3 Today

May 24, 2016

Ontario, CA – The Ontario Reign, proud American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL), battle the Lake Erie Monsters in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals today at 4:00 PT at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Reign trail the best-of-seven series, 2-0.

Forwards Sean Backman and Nic Dowd each scored a goal and an assist, but the Lake Erie Monsters erased a 1-0 second-period Reign lead and held off a two-goal third period comeback for a 4-3 victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Monsters team captain Ryan Craig finished the contest with a goal and an assist. Box ScoreHighlights

Game 2 Recap:

The following night, Lake Erie jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period with a pair of tallies 12 seconds apart off the sticks of Markus Hannikainen and Lukas Sedlak. Early in the second period, forward T.J. Tynan made it 3-0 on the power play before the Reign mounted a third-period comeback. Forward Paul Bissonnette netted his first goal of the postseason early in the frame and defenseman Kevin Gravel added another, but Monsters goaltender Anton Forsberg denied a late-game push for a 3-2 victory. Box ScoreHighlights

Dowd Leading the Way:

Forward Nic Dowd leads the Reign in the series with one goal and two assist for three points and has two goals and four assists in his last four playoff games.

Craig Powers Monsters:

Monsters team captain Ryan Craig leads the Western Conference Finals with four points (one goal, three assists).

Road to Western Conference Finals:

The Reign and Monsters enter the Western Conference Finals for the first time in their histories. The Reign defeated the San Jose Barracuda, three games to one, in the best-of-five opening round while the Monsters swept the Rockford IceHogs. In the Pacific Division Finals, the Reign wiped out the San Diego Gulls, 4-1, and in the Central Division Finals, the Monsters raced out to 3-0 series lead over the Grand Rapids Griffins before prevailing in six games.

Team History:

The Ontario Reign finished their first AHL season in the Inland Empire after the LA Kings’ top AHL affiliate moved from Manchester, New Hampshire last summer. With the Reign’s appearance in the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Kings’ top affiliate has now reached the postseason the last seven straight seasons and 13 times in the last 14 years.

The Monsters completed their ninth season of AHL hockey in Cleveland, Ohio and their first as the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL). Over the previous eight seasons, the organization served as the primary affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche (now affiliated with the San Antonio Rampage). The 2016 Calder Cup playoffs marks only the second time in nine seasons that the Monsters have made the postseason and the first time since the 2010-11 campaign.

The Western Conference Finals continues in Cleveland, Ohio with Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena on Thursday, May 26 at 4:00 p.m. Game 5, if necessary, is Saturday, May 28 at 9:00 a.m. Watch all the action LIVE at The Tilted Kilt in Rancho Cucamonga and tune in play-by-play action at OntarioReign.com and the LA Kings mobile app!

2016 Calder Cup Playoff tickets are ON SALE NOW! Grab your favorite seats for all the hard-hitting postseason action as the Reign chase a Calder Cup Championship! Black out the Bank for Game 6, if necessary, Tuesday, May 31 at 7:00 at Citizens Business Bank Arena! Wear your favorite black Reign or LA Kings gear! Buy Tickets